Help Her Out!

I visited Venice Beach, CA to see the famous Muscle Beach. I was more excited about this stop than any other on our road trip. :D Upon our arrival, my travel companion called her mother who said, "Venice Beach? Why would you go there? That's where the help lives!" Well, this is what I get for traveling with a self proclaimed Spoiled Child. (I am pretty sure that my travel buddy enjoyed the stop too, though.) We checked out the weight machines, the gymnastics equipment and the surrounding shops. Then, after we were through getting our kicks out of a few failed attempts at the gymnastics rings, we headed for the beach.

A couple of babes like up draw a lot of attention, but only one guy that day at the water's edge had the guts to make conversation with us. We told him of our adventures so far and the plans for the rest of our trip, at which point he asked if we'd be seeing the Playboy Mansion. While I would have loved that, I let him know that I had already done my research and found that because it is a private residence, the Mansion does not give tours. "Oh ya," he said, "I forgot that not just anybody can get in because I'm there all the time."

Whaaat???

He finally had my attention. "What do you doing at the Playboy Mansion all the time?" I asked.

"Oh, I'm part of the staff. I work at the Mansion."

Oh no! After a day of telling my friend to be open-minded, the one person that we encounter at Venice Beach fits the profile of those who she and her family generally avoid! I can just see her going home and telling her friends and family, "Mom was right- Venice Beach is just where the help is." What a shame. She, her family, and anyone else in that mind set will miss out on a beautiful city with blue skies, nice guys, soft sand, warm water, great surfing, and of course, muscle men.

Home of Manly-Men

For those of you who seek the burly man in uniform, who most likely sleeps with a gun under his bed (even though he himself could qualify as weapon in comparison the average civilian), then look no further than Fallbrook, CA. Located just outside of Camp Pendleton in sunny Southern California, this small town is populated with -you guessed it- Marines! And Mexicans, it is So Cal after all lol. Of the few men with whom I spoke, they had seriously high levels of testosterone and aggression, and seriously low levels of manners, domestic abilities, and generally all those other things that make you seem normal in a standard social setting. So for all those Suzy Home-makers out there looking for a Real Man, then look no further- Fallbrook is the place to be.

Make Love, Not Assumptions

I took a friend from Miami to Haight and Ashbury to check out the place where the hippie movement started. We spotted a modern-day version of a hippie with a card board sign that read, "free hugs". My friend was sceptical and even her mother who only heard about it over the phone responded with, "she probably would pick your pocket while you hugged her". How sad. The revolution still has a long way to go. This is San Francisco people, show some love.

For those of you who don't know:

How to "spread some CalTrain love" according to the driver of a fully-occupied train who just happened to be leaving the station from San Francisco one of those days I was visiting this beautiful city: "Make room- no feet on the seats, no bags on the seats- sit down, shake a hand, and make a friend." Now that's what it's all about!

Oil, Water, Fire

As we drove into Santa Barbara, the thickening layer of smoke overhead was a suffocating reminder that the surrounding hills were on fire. So, naturally, we headed for the water!-- Only in retrospect do I realize that not even this ocean could save us if the flames came close because of the tip a friend gave me: the beaches in this city are soiled by oil spills. While the sand and water appear clean, you'll later notice the blackness on your feet as you leave the beach. (Windex will take care of that!) The oil riggers dotting the horizon confirmed this warning, so we avoided the beach and visited Stearn's Wharf. -- Stearn's Wharf was a beautiful little tourist trap with free validated parking after a purchase at a gift shop. The ocean breeze kept the smoke out of the air, and the large pelicans and sea lions kept the wonder in the air. It's amazing that the wildlife continues to survive despite our filth. I'm afraid that one day we'll find the joke's on us.

Las Vegas

I woke up this morning and rubbed my eyes and I could still smell steak sauce under my fingernails from the dinner from the night before. Steak sauce under my nails even after several hand washes? Yea, I’m a savage like that. While most people may wake up in Vegas smelling like cigarette smoke, booze, and the party smell in general, I wake up smelling like steak. Oh, so much food, so little space in my stomach.

Pool side
Sitting in the shade in the water under the mister, I nevertheless fear the serious possibility of spontaneous combustion. IT’S SO HOT OUT HERE. I just might burst into flames. Hm men are starting to talk to me- time to go.

Dining at the Top of the World in the Stratosphere:

I shared a similar, carnivorous diet with the lions on display at the MGM Grand: